Metropolitan Museum of Art

A Diplomatic Mission to the Jin
聘金圖

(none)

Angling in the Autumn River
秋江垂釣圖

No artist’s inscription and signature Artist's seal Shuzhang 叔章

Bamboo and rock
竹石圖

Artist’s inscription and signature (2 columns in semi-cursive script) [Deng] Zifang painted this for Chuxian. 子方為處閑寫。 Artist's seals Deng Zifang 鄧子方 Huhai weiguan 湖海偉觀

Artist’s inscription and signature (1 column in semi-cursive script) The Daoist Xizhai [Li Kan] painted this in the winter of the wuwu year during the Yanyou reign era [1318]. 延祐戊午冬季息齋道人筆。 Artist's seals Li Kan Zhongbin 李衎仲賓 Xizhai 息齋

Bamboo copied after Wen Tong
臨文同墨竹圖

Artist's inscription and signature (2 columns in semi-cursive script): On the winter solstice of the jiyou year during the Xining era [1069], Wen Tong, Yuke, from Bajun [in present-day Sichuan Province]. On the Duanyang festival [fifth day of the fifth lunar month] of the guiwei year during the Zhizheng era [1343] Ke Jiusi, Danqiu, made this copy. 熙寧己酉冬至日，巴郡文同與可。至正癸未端陽節，丹丘柯九思臨。 Artist's seals: Xixun 錫訓 Ke shi Jingzhong 柯氏敬仲 Yunzhen Zhai 縕真齋

Bamboo grove
竹石

Artist’s inscription and signature (1 column in standard script) Produced by Zhao Yuan from Ju [in Shandong]. 莒人趙原製。 Artists’ seals Zhao Yuan 趙原 Bimen shenqu 閑門深趣 Shen Xun (active ca. 1370–1400) Shen shi Shicheng 沈氏士偁 Shuijinggong 水晶宮 Xunzhai shuhua 巽齋書畫

Bamboo, old tree, and rock
高節凌雲圖

Artist’s inscription and signature (4 columns in cursive script) Reaching high into the clouds, aware in vain of being extraordinary, Who recognizes it as the perch of the phoenix? The supreme tune is what attains the soundless realm; Don't play the flute that the Leader of Court Gentlemen [Cai Yong, 133–192] used to play. In summer, the fifth lunar month of the fourth year of the Zhiyuan reign era [1338], Meihua Daoren [the Plum-blossom Daoist] playfully painted this.[1] 高節凌雲空自奇，誰人識是鳳凰枝。至音已入無聲譜，莫把中郎□笛吹。至元四年夏五月梅花道人戲墨。 Artist’s seals Meihua An 梅華盦 Jiaxing Wu Zhen Zhonggui shuhua ji 嘉興吳鎮仲圭書畫記 [1] Translation by Shi-yee Liu.

Beneficent Rain
霖雨圖

Artist’s inscription and signature (3 columns in standard script) Beneficent Rain Painted by Weishan, Guangweizi, Zhang Yucai. 《霖雨圖》薇山廣微子張羽材作。 Artist's seal Illegible: 1

Bhadra, The Sixth Luohan
第六羅漢跋陀羅圖

Artist’s inscription (3 columns in standard script) The venerable sixth Luohan, Batuoluo [Bhadra], who with nine hundred followers resides in the land of Danmoluo [Tamra] It is, at present, an auspicious moment on the nineteenth of the second lunar month in the fifth year of [the Zhizheng reign era of the great Yuan dynasty],[1] in the yiyou year [March 23, 1345]. The venerable sixth Luohan, Batuoluo [Bhadra], who with nine hundred followers resides in the land of Danmoluo [Tamra] 第六名跋陀羅尊長與九百眷屬住躭沒羅洲。時大[元至正]五年乙酉歲二月己卯朔十九日甲戌吉，第六名跋陀羅尊者與九百眷屬住躭沒羅洲。 [1] The words in the brackets are missing on the scroll. Translation from Department records.

Biographies of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru
草書廉頗藺相如傳

Artist's inscription (206 columns in semi-cursive and cursive scripts) Lian Po was an able general of Zhao. In the sixteenth year of King Huiwen, he commanded the Zhao army against Qi and defeated its troops, taking the city of Jinyang. Then he was made a chief minister and was known for his prowess to all the states. Lin Xiangru, a man of Zhao, was the steward of Miao Xian, the chief eunuch. King Huiwen had come into possession of the jade of Bian He, a man of Chu. When King Zhao of Qin knew this he sent an envoy with a letter to the king of Zhao, offering fifteen cities in exchange for the jade, The king took counsel with General Lian Po and his chief ministers, who feared that if the jade were sent to Qin they might be cheated and get no cities in return, yet if they refused, the soldiers of Qin might attack. They could neither hit on a plan nor find an envoy to take their answers to Qin. Then Miao Xian, the chief eunuch, said, “My steward Lin Xiangru would make a good envoy.” “How do you know?” asked the king. He replied, “Once I did something wrong and secretly planned to escape to Yan, but my steward stopped me, asking, ‘How can you be sure of the king of Yan?’ I answered, ‘I met him at the frontier with our king, and he privately grasped my hand and offered me his friendship. That is how I know, and why I mean to go there.’ Lin said, ‘Zhao is strong and Yan is weak, and because you stood well with our lord, the king of Yan desired your friendship. But if you now fly from Zhao to Yan, for fear of Zhao he will not dare to keep you and will have you sent back in chains. Your only possible way out is to bare your shoulder and prostrate yourself before the axe and block for punishment.’ I took his advice and Your Majesty pardoned me. To my mind he is a brave, resourceful man, well fitted to be our envoy.” The king thereupon summoned Lin Xiangru and asked him, “Should I accept the king of Qin’s offer of fifteen cities in exchange for my jade?” “Qin is strong. We are weak,” replied Lin Xiangru. “We cannot refuse.” “What if he takes my jade but will not give me the cities?” “If we refuse Qin’s offer of cities in exchange for the jade, that puts us in the wrong; but if we give up the jade and get no cities, that puts Qin in the wrong. Of these two courses, the better one is to agree and put Qin in the wrong.” “Who can be our envoy?” “If Your Majesty has no one else, I will gladly take the jade and go on this mission. If the cities are given to Zhao, the jade will remain in Qin. If no cities are given, I shall bring the jade back unscathed.” So the king of Zhao sent Lin Xiangru with the jade west to Qin. The king of Qin sat in his pleasure pavilion to receive Lin Xiangru, who presented the jade to him. The king, very pleased, had it shown to his ladies and attendants, and all his attendants cheered. Seeing that the king had no intention of giving any cities to Zhao, Lin Xiangru stepped forward and said, “There is a blemish on the jade. Let me show it to you, sir.” As soon as the king gave him the jade, Lin Xiangru retreated to stand with his back to a pillar. His hair bristling with fury, he said, “To get this jade, great king, you sent a letter to the king of Zhao. When our sovereign summoned his ministers to discuss the matter, they said, ‘Qin is greedy and, relying on its strength, hopes to get our jade in return for empty promises. We are not likely to receive the cities.’ They were against giving you the jade. It seemed to me, however, that if even fellows in homespun can trust each other, how much more can powerful states. Besides, how wrong it would be to offend mighty Qin for the sake of a piece of jade! So the king of Zhao, after fasting for five days, sent me with a letter and the jade to your court. Why? To show the respect and awe in which we hold your great country. Yet on my arrival you received me in a pleasure pavilion and treated me with contempt. You took the jade and passed it among your ladies to make a fool of me. I can see you have no intention of giving Zhao those cities in return, so I have taken back the jade. If you use force against me, I will smash my head and the jade against this pillar.” With that, glancing at the pillar, he raised the jade and threatened to smash it. To save the jade, the king of Qin apologized and begged him to stop, then ordered the officer in charge to look up the map and point out the boundaries of the fifteen cities to be given to Zhao. Lin Xiangru, thinking this was a subterfuge and that Zhao would never really get the cities, declared, “The jade of Bian He is a treasure known throughout the world, but for the fear of Qin the king of Zhao dared not withhold it. Before parting with it he fasted for five days. So it is only right, great king, that you too should fast for five days and then prepare a grand court reception. Only then dare I hand it over.” Since he could not seize the jade by force, the king agreed to fast for five days, during which time Lin Xiangru should be lodged in the Guangcheng Hostel. Lin Xiangru suspected that despite his fast the king would not keep his promise to give the cities. So, dressing one of his followers in rags and concealing the jade on his person, he made him hurry back to Zhao by paths and byways. When the king of Qin had fasted for five days, he prepared a grand reception for Zhao’s envoy. Lin Xiangru, arriving, announced to the king, “Since the time of Duke Mu of Qin, not one of the twenty-odd princes of your state had kept faith. Fearful of being deceived by Your Majesty and letting my country down, I sent a man back with the jade. He should be in Zhao by now. Qin is strong and Zhao is weak. When you, great king, sent a single messenger to Zhao, we immediately brought the jade here. If your mighty state had first given us fifteen cities, we should not have dared offend you by keeping the jade. I know I deserve death for deceiving you and beg to be boiled in the cauldron. Consider this well with your ministers, great king!” The king and all his ministers gaped at each other. Some attendants prepared to drag Lin Xiangru away, but the king said, “Killing him now will not get us the jade but would spoil our relations with Zhao. Better treat him handsomely and send him back. The king of Zhao dare not risk offending Qin for the sake of a piece of jade.” Thereupon he entertained Lin Xiangru in his court, dismissing him when the ceremony was over. The king of Zhao was so pleased with the skill with which Lin Xiangru had saved the state from disgrace that he made him a high councilor on his return. Neither did Qin give the cities to Zhao, nor Zhao give the jade to Qin. After this, (Qin attacked Zhao and took Shicheng. The following year twenty thousand men of Zhao were killed in another attack. Then the king of Qin sent an envoy to the king of Zhao, proposing a friendly meeting at Mainchi, south of Xihe. The king of Zhao loathed to go, for fear of Qin. But Lian Po and Lin Xiangru reasoned with him saying, “Not to go, sir, would make our country appear weak and cowardly.” So the king went, accompanied by Lin Xiangru. Lian Po saw them to the frontier, where he bade the king farewell saying, “I reckon that Your Majesty’s journey there, the meeting and the journey back should not take more than thirty days. If you fail to return in that time, I suggest that we set up the crown prince as king, to thwart the designs of Qin.” The king, having agreed,) went to meet the king of Qin at Mianchi. (The king of Qin, merry after drinking, said, “I have heard that the king of Zhao is a good musician. Will you play zither for me?” The king of Zhao did as he asked. Then the Qin chronicler stepped forward and recorded, “On such-and-such a day the king of Qin drank with the king of Zhao and ordered the king of Zhao to play the zither.” Lin Xiangru then advanced and said, “The king of Zhao has heard that the king of Qin is a good hand at Qin music. Will you entertain us with a tune on the pitcher?” The king of Qin angrily refused. But Lin Xiangru went forward to present a pitcher and, kneeling down, requested him to play. Still the king refused. “I am only five steps from you,” cried Lin Xiangru. “I can bespatter you, great king, with the blood from your throat!” The attendants wanted to kill him, but he glared and shouted so fiercely that they shrank back. Then the king of Qin sullenly beat once on the pitcher, whereupon Lin Xiangru turned to bid the Zhao chronicler record, “On such-and-such a date, the king of Qin played the pitcher for the king of Zhao.” Then the ministers of Qin said, “We hope Zhao will present fifteen cities to the king of Qin.” Lin Xiangru retorted, “We hope Qin will present Xianyang to the king of Zhao!” At this feast, then, the king of Qin was unable to get the better of Zhao. Nor dared he make any move because of the strong guard brought by the king of Zhao.) Upon their return to Zhao after this meeting, Lin Xiangru was appointed a chief minister for his outstanding service, taking precedence over Lian Po. Lian Po protested, “As a general of Zhao I have served the state well in the field and stormed many cities. All Lin Xiangru can do is wag his tongue, yet now he is above me. I’d think shame to work under such a base-born fellow.” He swore, “When I meet Lin Xiangru, I shall humiliate him!” When Lin Xiangru got word of this, he kept out of Lian Po’s way and absented himself from court on grounds of illness, not wanting to compete for precedence. Once when he caught sight of Lian Po on the distance on the road, he drove his carriage another way. His stewards reproached him saying, “We left our kingsmen to serve you because we admired your lofty character, sir. Now you have the same rank as Lian Po, but when he insults you in public, you try to avoid him and look abjectly afraid. This would disgrace even a common citizen, let alone generals and ministers! We are afraid we must beg to resign.” Lin Xiangru stopped them, asking, “Is General Lian Po as powerful in your eyes as the king of Qin?” “Of course not,” they replied. “If, useless as I am, I lashed out at the mighty king of Qin in his court and insulted his ministers, why should I be afraid of General Lian Po? To my mind, however, were it not for the two of us, powerful Qin would not hesitate to invade Zhao. When two tigers fight, one must perish. I behave as I do because I put our country’s fate before private feuds.” When word of this reached Lian Po, he bared his shoulders, fastened a switch of thorns to his back and had a protégé conduct him to Lin Xiangru’s gate. He apologized, “Contemptible boor that I am, I could not understand your magnanimity, sir!” They became close friends, ready to die for each other.[1] 廉頗者，趙之良將也。趙惠文王十六年，廉頗為趙將伐齊，大破之，取晉陽，拜為上卿，以勇氣聞於諸侯。藺相如者，趙人也，為趙宦者令繆賢舍人。趙惠文王時，得楚和氏壁[壁字點去]璧。秦昭王聞之，使人遣趙王書，願以十五城請易璧。趙王與大將軍廉頗諸大臣謀：欲事[事字點去]與秦，秦城恐不可得，徒見欺；欲勿與，即患秦兵之來。計未定，求人可使報秦者，未得。宦者令繆賢曰：“臣舍人藺相如可使。”王問：“何以知之？”對曰：“臣嘗有罪，竊計欲亡走燕；臣舍人相如止臣，曰：‘君何以知燕王？’臣語曰：‘臣嘗從大王與燕王會境上，燕王私握臣手曰：“願結友”。以此知之，故欲往。’相如謂臣曰：‘夫趙彊而燕弱，而君幸於趙王，故燕王欲結於君。今君乃亡趙走燕，燕畏趙，其勢必不敢留君，而束君歸趙矣。君不如肉袒伏斧質請罪，則幸得脱矣。’臣從其計，大王亦幸赦臣，臣竊以為其人勇士，有智謀，宜可使。”於是王召見，（問）藺相如曰：“秦王以十五城請易寡人之璧，可與不？”相如曰：“秦彊而趙弱，不可不許。”王曰：“取吾璧，不與我城，奈何？”相如曰：“秦以城求璧而趙不與，曲在趙。趙與璧，而秦不與趙城，曲在秦。均之二策，寧與[許]以負秦曲。”王曰：“誰可使者？”相如曰：“王必無人，臣願奉璧往使。城入趙而璧留秦。城不入，臣請完璧歸趙。”趙王於是遂遣相如奉璧西入秦。秦王坐章臺見相如，相如奉璧奏秦王。秦王大喜，傳以示美人及左右，左右皆呼萬歲。相如視秦王無意還[還字點去]償趙城，乃前曰：“璧有瑕，請指示王。”王授璧，相如因持璧卻立，倚柱，怒髮上衝冠，謂秦王曰：“大王欲得璧，使人發書至趙王，趙王悉召群臣議，皆曰：‘秦貪，負其彊，以空言求璧，償城恐不可得。’議不欲與秦璧。臣以為布衣不[不字點去]之交尚不相欺，况大國乎！臣以一璧之故逆彊秦之驩，不可。於是趙王乃齋戒五日，使臣奉璧，拜送書於庭。何者？嚴大國之威以修敬也。今臣至，大王見臣列觀，禮節甚倨；得璧，傳之美人以戲弄臣。臣觀大王無意償趙王城邑，故臣復取璧。大王必欲急臣，臣頭（今）與璧俱碎於柱矣。”相如持其璧睨柱，欲以擊柱。秦王恐其破璧，乃辭謝固請，召有司按圖，指從此以往十五都與趙。相如度秦王特以詐陽[詳]為與趙城，實不可得，乃謂秦王曰：“和氏璧，天下所共傳寶也，趙王恐，不敢不獻。趙王送璧時，齋戒五日，今大王亦宜齋戒五日，設九賓于廷，臣乃敢上璧。”秦王度之，终不敢[可]彊奪，遂許齋五日，舍相如廣成傳。（舍）相如度秦王雖齋，決負約不償城，乃使其從者衣褐，懷其璧，從徑道（亡），歸璧于趙。秦王齋五日後，乃設九賓禮於廷，引趙使者藺相如。相如至，謂秦王曰：“秦自繆公以來廿餘君，未嘗有堅明約束者也。臣誠恐見欺於王而負趙，故令人持璧歸，間至趙矣。且秦彊而趙弱，大王遣一介之使至趙，趙立奉璧來。今以秦之彊而先割十五都與趙，趙豈敢留璧而得罪於大王乎？臣知欺大王之罪當誅，臣請就湯镬，唯大王與群臣熟計議之。”秦王與群臣相視而嘻。左右或欲引相如去，秦王因曰：“今殺相如，終不能得璧也，而絕秦趙之驩，不如因而厚遇之，使歸趙，趙王豈以一壁之故欺秦邪！”卒廷見相如，畢禮而歸之。相如既歸，趙王以為賢大夫使不辱於諸侯，拜相如為上夫大[二字順序倒反]。（秦亦不以城予趙，趙亦终不予秦璧。）其後（……）與秦王會澠池。（……）（即罷歸國，以）相如功大，拜為上卿，位在廉頗之右。廉頗曰：“我（為趙將），有攻城野戰之大功，而藺相如徒以口舌為勞，（而）位居我上，（且相如素賤人，吾羞，不忍為之下。”宣言曰）：“我見相如，必辱之。”（相如聞，不肯與會。相如每朝時，常稱病，不欲與廉頗爭列。已而）相如出，望見廉頗，（相如）引車避匿。（於是）舍人相與諫（曰：“臣所以去親戚而事君者，乃慕君之高義也。今君與廉頗同列，廉君宣惡言而君畏匿之，恐懼殊甚，且庸人尚羞之，况於將相乎！臣等不肖，）請辭（去）。（藺相如固止之，曰：“公之視廉將軍孰與秦王？”曰：“不若也。”）相如曰：“（夫以秦王之威，而相如廷叱之，辱其群臣，）相如虽駑，獨畏廉將軍哉？公之視廉將軍孰與秦王？顧（吾念之，）彊秦（之所以）不敢加兵於趙者，徒以吾兩人在也。（今）两虎共鬥，其勢不俱生。吾所以為此者，（以）先國家之急而後私讎也。”（廉頗聞之，肉袒負荆，因賓客至藺相如門謝罪。曰：“鄙賤之人，不知將軍寬之至此也。”卒相與驩，為刎頸之交。）[2] No artist’s seal [1] Translation from Szuma Chien (Sima Qian司馬遷), Records of the Historian (Shi ji史記), translated by Yang Hsien-yi and Gladys Yang. Hong Kong: The Commercial Press, 1974, pp. 139-44. Modified. [2] The punctuation of the text follows the one published by Zhonghua Shuju in 1975. The Chinese characters and corresponding English translations within the parentheses were left out of the original text by Huang Tingjian.

Boating by a Willow Bank
泛舟柳塘圖

Seal not read (none)

Boats Moored in Wind and Rain
風雨維舟圖

(none)

Bodhidharma crossing the Yangzi River on a reed
達摩渡江圖

Artist’s inscription and signature (1 columns in standard script) Painted by Jitang, Li Yaofu. 寄堂李堯夫筆 Artist's seal Jitang 寄堂

Bridge in Snow
雪橋送別

(none)

Buddha Amitabha descending from his Pure Land
阿彌陀佛圖

Artist inscription (1 column in standard script) 囗囗慶元府洗馬橋東畫囗囗囗囗囗囗 Artist’s seal 1 illegible

Buddhist Temples amid Autumn Mountains
秋山蕭寺圖

Artist's inscription and signature (1 column in standard script) Painted by Yan Wengui. 燕文貴畫。

Bunch of Purple Lychees
陳紫荔子繡香囊圖

(none)

Cabbage and Insects
寒菜圖

Signed, dated and inscribed: Jingding yüan nian huayüan daizhao Xu Guyen zhi [1260]; (executed by Xu Guyen, daizhao in the Imperial Academy) trans. by J. Cahill Lower right: two seals in red.

Chan master riding a mule
騎驢圖

(none)

Classic of Spiritual Flight
楷書靈飛經

Artist's inscription (685 characters, 43 columns in standard script) 行此道，忌淹污、經死亡之家，不得與人同床寢，衣服不假人，禁食五辛及一切肉。又對近婦人尤禁之甚，令人神亡魂亡，生邪失性，災及三世，死為下鬼，常當燒香於寢床之首也。上清瓊宮玉符，乃是太極上宮四真人，所受於太上之道，當須精誠潔心，澡除五累，遺穢污之塵濁，杜淫欲之失正，目存六精，凝思玉真，香煙散室，孤身幽房，積毫累著，和魂保中，仿佛五神，遊生三宮，豁空競於常輩，守寂默以感通者，六甲之神不逾年而降已也。子能精修此道，必破券登仙矣。信而奉者為靈人，不信者將身沒九泉矣。上清六甲虛映之道，當得至精至真之人，乃得行之，行之既速，致通降而靈氣易發。久勤修之，坐在立亡，長生久視，變化萬端，行廚卒致也。九疑真人韓偉遠，昔受此方於中岳宋德玄。德玄者，周宣王時人，服此靈飛六甲得道，能一日行三千里，數變形為鳥獸，得真靈之道。今在嵩高，偉遠久隨之，乃得受法，行之道成，今處九疑山，其女子有郭芍藥、趙愛兒、王魯連等。并受此法而得道者，復數十人。或游玄洲，或處東華，方諸臺今見在也。南岳魏夫人言此云：“郭芍藥者，漢度遼將軍陽平郭騫女也，少好道，精誠真人因授其六甲。趙愛兒者，幽州刺史劉虞別駕漁陽趙該婦也，好道得尸解，後又受此符。王魯連者，魏明帝城門校尉范陵王伯綱女也，亦學道，一旦忽委婿李子期，入陸渾山中，真人又授此法。子期者，司州魏人，清河王傅者也，其常言此婦狂走云，一旦失所在。” 上清六甲靈飛隱道，服此真符，遊行八方，行此真書，當得其人。按四極明科，傳上清內書者，皆列盟奉[貝危]啟誓乃宣之，七百年得付六人，過年限足不得復出洩也。其受符者，皆對齋七日，[貝危]有經之師。上金六兩，白素六十尺，金鐶六雙，青絲六兩，五色繒各廿二尺，以代剪髮歃血登壇之誓，以盟奉行靈符，玉名不洩之信矣。違盟負信，三祖父母獲風刀之考，詣積夜之河，摙蒙山巨石，填之水津。有經之師受[貝危]，當施散於山林之寒栖，或投東流之清遠，不得私用。割損以贍己利，不遵科法，三官考察，死為下鬼。

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